Knowledge repositories can be used for capturing, managing and making available knowledge of any sort. They have been implemented to provide an automated help function to users, for example in form of a frequently asked questions (FAQ) feature or as a solution database, meaning a collection of problem descriptions associated with corresponding solution descriptions for the user to search. The problem descriptions may have attributes associated with them such that a user by searching can retrieve the relevant problem description (and thereby the associated solutions) for a given query. For example, the contents may be elicited from or extracted by experts in a particular domain.
Some existing knowledge repositories are designed for a specific computer system or a family of computer systems. As such, the repositories may be heavily influenced by the data model and attributes used in the system as a whole. For example, the solution database has been used in the R/3 system manufactured by SAP AG. In some instances, such a knowledge repository has been adapted for use with later-developed system components but the dependence on the original data model is nevertheless noticeable.
Existing knowledge repositories may lack flexibility for the customer of the system to define more attributes in addition to those that are predefined. This can be a disadvantage as there are considerable differences in the typical problem description between different business areas or industries. Also, with existing solutions it may be difficult to create separate and independent repositories within the same organization, particularly if they should have different structures and designs. As another example, many end users are comfortable using word processing tools, and the lack of integration with a well-known word processing solution may be a disadvantage. It may also be difficult to provide several knowledge repositories with a consistent and professional look and feel. It is believed that there is not a generic knowledge-repository solution that can flexibly work with different kinds of content and media for a variety of business applications.